#badwo1f

(in)correct quotes.

wheeze  of  engines  settled  into  contented  silence  as  the  TARDIS  completes  another  landing.  one  last  adjustment  to  a  stubborn  stabiliser,  while  an  assortment  of  wires  refused  to  cooperate.  a  muttered  conversation  with  the  ship  fills the  otherwise  quiet  room.     “ no,  no,  don't  look  at  me  like  that.  knew  exactly  where  that  wire  went.  testing  initiative.  very  important  quality  in  a  time  machine. ”

the  TARDIS  answers  with  a  low,  offended  groan.     “ oh,  dramatic. ”

a  smile  lingers  as  footsteps  approached  from  the  entrance.     “ you're  back  quick, ”     came  the  absent  reply,  still  focused  on  the  open  panel.     “ forgot  something,  did  you ?  amy,  if  it's  another— ”     the  sentence  simply  stops.

the  doctor  straightens  slowly,  screwdriver  slipping  into  a  jacket  pocket  almost  by  instinct  before  turning  toward  the  doors.  rose  tyler  stood  just  inside  the  threshold.  recognition  struck  first.  confusion  arrived  a  fraction  later,  hitting  with  considerably  more  force.     “ …right. ”

the  timelord's gaze  fixed  with  a  kind  of  stunned  delight  that  had  no  business  surviving  across  years  &  regenerations  &  broken  hearts.     “ okay. ” 

“ hello,  rose  tyler. ”

he doesn't  move  for  a  moment.  didn't  quite  trust  the  universe  enough  to.  because  the  universe  had  a  habit  of  offering  back  things  it  had  already  taken,  &  usually  there  was  a  catch.  there  was  always  a  catch.

but  rose  tyler  was  standing  inside  the  TARDIS.  his  TARDIS.  looking  every  bit  as  real  as  the  impossible  memory  he'd  carried  around  for  far  too  long.

          ❛             aye , keep screamin' yer head off , lassie , i dinna ken if th' tops of th' trees a few towns over heard ye.            ❜          exasperation made jamie's hands toss into the air & card angrily through his curls , resting a palm on his sword hilt while giving rose tyler a stern glance. she'd been bleating something fierce since the highlanders had rounded up the survivors of the castle attacked by the lupin monks. yelling something about a doctor , how he was going to find her , that they were kidnappers. jamie rolled his eyes so hard he swore they'd give him a headache.

          ❛             not for nothing , but i did just save your life ! those monks are dangerous men - if we hadn't come when we did , ye & yer bedraggled lot would've been dead by now.            ❜          still , he carefully adjusted the blanket he'd tossed over her , still bewildered by her bizarre clothes & apparent nakedness. his uncle dougal had begun mumbling a few feet away that she was a mad woman , that whoever her doctor was had to be some sort of asylum caretaker.

jamie shot him a warning glance , tightening the shift around the woman before sweeping his gaze over her again to check for any apparent injuries. none , just flushed cheeks & angry eyes.          ❛             dinna fash , rose. once we reach leoch , we'll send word for yer doctor t' come for ye. right now , though , y' need t' get warm. stomping around & makin' a run for the trees won't help y' any , not with the redcoats patrolling. sit by the fire & get something to eat.            ❜          

he  is  laughing—  can’t  help  it.  it  bubbles  up  out  of  him,  bright  &  helpless,  the  sort  that  bends  him  in  half  for  a  second  as  he  presses  his  palms  to  his  knees  &  tries   ( fails )  to  breathe  it  back  down.  when  he  finally  straightens,  there’s  that  grin—  wide,  boyish,  entirely  unrepentant—  eyes  shining  like  the  universe  just  told  him  a  very  good  joke.

“ funny ? ”  he  echoes,  incredulous,  pointing  vaguely  between  the  two  of  them  as  if  the  explanation  is  obvious.  “ rose,  you’re  standing  in  the  middle  of  a  perfectly  respectable  nineteenth-century  ballroom,  there’s  a  clockwork  pigeon  on  the  chandelier,  &— ”  he  leans  in,  lowering  his  voice  conspiratorially,  “ we’ve  somehow  managed  to  nick  custard  creams  from  the  buffet  before  the  incident.  that’s  not  funny,  that’s  brilliant. ”

he  rocks  back  on  his  heels,  still  smiling,  laughter  softening  into  something  warm  &  fond  as  he  looks  at  her  properly  now.  “ besides, ”   he  adds,  gentler,  “ you  do  this  face.  when  you’re  indignant. ”   ( he's  missed  that  face. )

the  time  lord  goes  very  still  at  that,  like  the  question  has  caught  somewhere  under  his  ribs  &  won’t  let  go.  for  just  a  second  the  whole  universe  seems  to  narrow  down  to  rose  tyler  &  the  look  on  her  face  &  the  awful,  impossible  shape  of  the  answer.

“  if  it  was  the  other  way  around  ?  ”  he  repeats,  tasting  the  words,  letting  them  settle.  then  nods  once,  sharp,  decisive.  but  it’s  not  that  simple,  is  it?  never  is.   “ i’d  say  i’d  be  sensible, ”   he  admits.   “ responsible.  very  big  on  rules,  me.  fixed  points,  crossed  streams,  the  universe  wagging  its  finger  &  saying  don’t  you  dare. ”

the  doctor  finally  looks  back  at  her.  really  looks.  old  eyes  in  a  young  face,  bright  &  wrecked  &  honest  in  a  way  that  should  be  illegal.  “ i’d  be  lying. ”

“ i  would  have  burned  through  stars,  rose  tyler.  i  would  tell  myself  i  was  fixing  things,  saving  things,  being  very  clever— ”   his  voice  drops.  stripped  bare.   “ but  really  i’d  just  be  trying  to  get  back  to  you. ”

now  that  wasn't  fair.  here,  the  timelord  stood,  face to face  with  her  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  corridor  like  she  hasn’t  shattered  every  probability  he  knows.  like  she  hasn’t  just  done  something  that  should  not  be  possible. 

he  blinks.  once.  twice.

“ no, ”   he  says,  very  quietly,  as  if  saying  it  in such a way  might  make  reality  reconsider.   “ no,  you  can’t… ”   he  steps  closer  despite  himself,  eyes  wide,  scanning  her  like  she’s  a  paradox  waiting  to  bite.  alive.  solid.  breathing.  not  a  projection,  or  a  memory.  not  one  of  the  universe’s  cruel  little  echoes.   “ rose  tyler, ”  he  breathes,  &  there’s  real  shock  there  now,  cracking  through  the  centuries.   “ you’re —  you’re  here. ”

the doctor  laughs,  sharp  &  disbelieving,  running  a  hand  through  his  hair.

“ that’s  not  possible.  i  checked.  i  triple-checked, ”   he  trails  off.   “ you’re  years  late anyway.  &  very  definitely  not  supposed  to  be  standing  in  front  of  me  during  an  active  disaster. ”

not that his rose had missed a single one , a knowing glint in his eye as he straightened up & flashed a sharp grin at her husband , admiring the throb in his throat as he swallowed. he was nervous. good. his attention returning to the woman , appreciative eyes danced over her new gown , crooning softly under his breath.          ❛             you look positively stunning , my dear. come , the party has begun in my new ballroom. have you seen it yet ? i had it repainted in gold.            ❜          looping an arm through hers , aro pointedly left her husband behind as the two of them sauntered off toward the lilting music.